28% Pass In 2014 WASSCE One Of The Best—Ablakwa

A Deputy Minister for Education in-charge of tertiary, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has described the 28.11 percent pass rate in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination WASSCE as one of the best performances by Ghanaian candidates in the last decade.

The 2013/2014 academic year WASSCE results released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) revealed that over 7000 of candidates who sat the exams failed in all the subjects they wrote.

The report also said over 70 percent of the students who passed failed to meet the entry requirements for tertiary institutions.

But speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, the Minister noted that looking at the trend of the examination results over the last 10 years reveals that the 2013/2014 results is the second best.

”The WAEC analysis of candidates who can progress in terms of those who had A1-C6 shows that in 2006, it was 12.5, in 2007 it was only 10.5 percent, in 2008 it was 12.9 percent, 2009 was 14.5 percent; in 2010 there was no WASSCE….

”2011 it was 26 percent, in 2012 it was 31 percent, in 2013 19 percent and then in 2014 it is 28.1 percent; so you notice that if you look at the trend this year [2014] actually is one of our best years, ” he said.

He added that: ”over the last 10 years we have not recorded more than 31 percent, 2012 was our best and our second best year over the last 10 years is 28.1 percent, which is this year.”

The Member of Parliamnent for North Tongu further explained that progression to the next stage on the educational ladder is ”very competitive. The progression that we speak of is very competitive, even with this 28 percent not all of them stand the chance to progress to the University; it is very competitive depending on the programme you are going to offer…,” he added.

Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa also said the assertion by some members of the general public that about 70 percent of the students who wrote the 2014 WASSCE will not have the opportunity to progress to the next level is erroneous.

”Government has created a window of opportunity where if you are willing and you have the interest to continue formal education, you can progress,” he opined.

Meanwhile, the Acting Director of the Ghana Education Service, Charles Aheto Tsegah also told Citi News that it is not automatic that all students who graduate from the Senior High School (SHS) would make it to the university.

According to him students participate in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for diverse reasons and they must be given the opportunity to exercise their right.

“It’s not a matter of cause that people must necessarily progress into tertiary institutions, ” the acting director said.